Daily Gospel Reflection
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September 19, 2020
When a great crowd gathered and people from town after town came to him, Jesus said in a parable: “A sower went out to sow his seed; and as he sowed, some fell on the path and was trampled on, and the birds of the air ate it up. Some fell on the rock; and as it grew up, it withered for lack of moisture. Some fell among thorns, and the thorns grew with it and choked it. Some fell into good soil, and when it grew, it produced a hundredfold.” As he said this, he called out, “Let anyone with ears to hear listen!”
Then his disciples asked him what this parable meant. He said, “To you it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of God; but to others I speak in parables, so that ‘looking they may not perceive, and listening they may not understand.’
“Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God. The ones on the path are those who have heard; then the devil comes and takes away the word from their hearts, so that they may not believe and be saved. The ones on the rock are those who, when they hear the word, receive it with joy. But these have no root; they believe only for a while and in a time of testing fall away. As for what fell among the thorns, these are the ones who hear; but as they go on their way, they are choked by the cares and riches and pleasures of life, and their fruit does not mature. But as for that in the good soil, these are the ones who, when they hear the word, hold it fast in an honest and good heart, and bear fruit with patient endurance.”
The words that stood out to me in this gospel passage were: “these are the ones who, when they hear the word, hold it fast in an honest and good heart, and bear fruit with patient endurance.”
There is so much to reflect on in this one line! First, there is the phrase “hold it fast.” What would it mean for us to “hold fast” the word of God in our hearts? What do I hold fast in my heart that is not the word of God? My relationships with my family and closest friends, certainly, but also my own ego is something that I hold fast in my heart. There are things that I cling to that help me draw closer to the word of God and other things that prevent me from receiving it.
Next, there is the phrase, “in an honest and good heart.” This seems like both a high aspiration and a simple goal that anyone should be able to achieve. I bet that each of us, when we hear this phrase, immediately thinks of someone in our lives who stands out as a person who has “an honest and good heart.” These folk don’t have to be the most well educated or most successful people we know to hold this distinction in our minds, they just live with a certain authenticity that is apparent to everyone. What are some of the qualities of these people that we might emulate so that we too might have an “honest and good heart?”
Finally, we come to the last words of the reading: “bear fruit with patient endurance.” This tells us what to do and how to do it. The seed that falls on good soil bears fruit, obviously. That is the central image of the entire parable. But we cannot forget that this is the goal of the Christian life. We receive God’s word not only for our own good, but for the good of others. If we keep it to ourselves, we will not bear fruit. But this work of bearing fruit requires “patient endurance.” God’s work cannot be rushed and it does not come easy. We live in a culture of on-demand content and next-day shipping so “patient endurance” is not something that we are well schooled in. The word of God takes root in our hearts in its own time and grows in its own seasons. I pray that God will grant me the patient endurance to allow it bear great fruit.
Prayer
Lord, you explained the meaning of the parable so the disciples could understand more fully. This day some things may happen that we do not fully understand. But as did the disciples, let us trust you and put our faith in you. Open our hearts and minds so that we, even with our lack of complete understanding, know you are guiding us and leading us this day. We pray this to you our God, forever and ever. Amen.
Saint of the Day
St. Januarius was a bishop who gave his life with his friends during a Christian persecution in the Roman empire. He is a best known for a recurring miracle that involves his relics.
Two deacons and a layman were imprisoned after confessing their Christian faith. Januarius was good friends with one of the deacons, and he visited his friend in prison. Guards noticed, and he was arrested, along with another deacon and a layperson.
Januarius and his companions were all beaten, and made to wear iron chains and march in front of the governor’s chariot. They were thrown into jail with the friends Januarius had originally visited.
The group of Christians were condemned to die by being thrown into an arena with wild beasts, but when this was carried out, the beasts could not be enticed to attack. They were sentenced to beheading instead.
This account of Januarius and his companions comes down to us from tradition, and it is difficult to know if it can be trusted. Best guesses indicate he died sometime around 305; the saint seems to have been honored from the fifth century and after.
There is a unique veneration of Januarius’ relics in Naples, where he was bishop. A vial of the saint’s dried blood stands in a reliquary in a church dedicated to him. Several times a year, on dates that correspond to events in the saint’s life and death, people observe the blood in that vial to liquefy, sometimes coming to froth and increase in volume. It is a miracle that has been examined carefully and no explanation has been found. In 2015, the blood liquified when Pope Francis made a visit, which was rare because it occurred outside of one of these special feast days.
Relics of St. Januarius rest in the reliquary chapel in the Basilica.
St. Januarius, you are the martyr with miraculous relics who died for your friends and your faith, pray for us!
Image Credit: Our featured image of St. Januarius is in the public domain. Last accessed April 2, 2025 on Wikimedia Commons.
